Saturday is the start of the first rifle season for Elk in Colorado. I am debating going for a trip in the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness in Colorado which will definitely have hunters. The idea of hiking in areas where hunters are currently active concerns me a bit on the safety side and also takes away some of the solitude I am seeking. That said, does anyone have their own concerns about hiking in an area of active hunters? Am I being overly concerned?

You are being overly concerned. If hiking during hunting season was too dangerous then hunters wouldn't hunt on public land. Yes, there is an increased risk and it's a good idea to wear blaze orange but there are more dangerous things out there than a hunter.

Hunters usually don't hunt far from their vehicle and those that do high mountain pack hunting are usually very competent.

I personally call it quits when first rifle opens. I'm fine with archery and muzzle loaders. I always say there's hunters and those that go hunting. I'm fine with the first, who are serious and know what they are doing but they guys who get together to drink, ride ATVs and hope they stumble on an Elk concern me. Statistically speaking, you're probably VERY unlikely to be shot. But there are a certain percentage of yahoos out there and I'd rather not deal with it. It does help that you'll be in a designated Wilderness area. That eliminates a lot of the lazy ones.

Wearing blaze orange certainly can't hurt. My friend and I were in the Winds a few weeks ago at the start of Elk season. I thought I had read it started the weekend after we came out. My friend, who is a hunter but from California, asked why all the riders we saw were wearing orange if it wasn't hunting season. I thought it was probably muzzle loader season but was wrong. Oops. We didn't have any problems and we happened to be on trail during the last 2 days when the season had started. Lot of shots but well away from us.

I've gone to RMNP during October in the past. But now the park is closed. How do they "close" RMNP if there aren't any rangers to write up those who ignore the closure???

"How do they "close" RMNP if there aren't any rangers to write up those who ignore the closure???"

There will probably be barricades at each of the entrance stations. Then inside there will always be some minimum number of law enforcement rangers to issue citations. If it is a serious offense, they will probably open the federal jail until time for the next federal court hearing. However, because of the government shutdown, that hearing may be delayed, so you get to rot in the jail.

In this case I was actually thinking more about the trails that are accessible without having to drive into the park. I haven't seen rangers on them when the park was open. Not that I'm advocating actually doing it but I did start wondering about how they would enforce it with a fraction of their normal crew.

A lot of backpacking clothing/gear are pretty bright colored so that is a good start. I don't think anyone is going to be shooting at bright green/blue/red colors out in the woods if looking for Elk/Deer.

I would definitely avoid brown clothing, especially if a dash of white is thrown in there. A brown jacket/backpack with a white hat/bandanna might look like an animal's body+tail for someone who catches "buck fever."

Just get something bright that can be multiuse like an orange bandanna to strap to yourself or your bag when hiking and can be used as a pot holder/rag in camp.

Google "Pamela Almli" – she was a hiker wearing a bright blue poncho when shot and killed by a kid who was out hunting. Certainly bright colors should prevent a responsible hunter from shooting at you, but there is always the chance of someone not so responsible out there. Personally I would not venture out on the trail myself in hunting territory during hunting season, but if you do please take steps to be safe. Something larger than a bandana that can be seen from both sides (orange vest + pack cover?) might be better.

I agree that statistically there isn't a big chance of your being shot at, but don't assume it never happens.

I don't like hikers. Those people aren't screwed down too tight. They cut wood for illegal campfires, leave garbage and human waste laying on trails, get drunk and trip over my guylines in the middle of the night and collapse my tent, and then have the unmitagted gall to expect SAR to rescue them when they get lost or tired. The ultralighters are the worst- they don't even carry appropriate gear!

This time of the year is some of the best hiking and I'm not willing to give up 4 weeks of it.

WalMart has cheap Orange vests in the hunting section. We have Adult and 2X for hiking with or without a day pack. The 2X goes Over the pack and is a Lot of Orange. I hacked up a Youth and made a vest for the dog. If I go out alone I add a Blaze Orange hat.

I'm concerned about two scenarios. In the first there is no "backstop" for the shot, and it travels a Long way to me. Not much you can do about that.

In the second, I unintentionally walk into the "kill zone" where the animal is between me and the hunter. The hunter is focused on the animal, the animal has frozen because of my approach, and the finger is itchy. That's where a "Parade of Orange" is be useful.

We also give some thought to the last 2 days of each "session". There are noticeably more shots as the desperation and the alcohol take over.

@dean — I agree with you about the hikers too. I can do without the toilet paper, beer cans, trash, drunks, cigarette butts, noise, not paying trail fees, leaving camp fires burning… I just get a little tweaked up when I hear 15 rounds go off at night.

Just an update that I had a great time yesterday. Saw a few Hunters but there seemed to be more scouting going on than anything else. I never heard one shot. I think being in a Wilderness area helped. Only people back where I was would have to be serious hunters given how difficult the access was.

all they do is:
wear trails into ruts then volunteer to maintain the trails
ask for bridges across streams then donate to build them
walk around in pristine wilderness then organize to protect it
click away with their cameras then show the photos to non-hikers to get support for more parks and forests

I try to avoid it but with the parks closed, I look at each states hunting calendar to see which weeks are not designated rifle or "all firearms". Most are pretty safe but accidents happen and bullets carry. Have some mostly brilliant orange "Denver Bronco" upper layers too.